‘Hayward’ is the most commercialized female kiwi cultivar grown and marketed in the world. The ‘Hayward’ cultivar is produced commercially in California in the U.S. and in New Zealand, and is the kiwi fruit most often found in U.S. grocery stores. Attributes of the ‘Hayward’ cultivar that have led to its dominance of the kiwi market in the past are its distinctive green flesh, good flavor and long storage life. It is not known what male cultivar was used to pollinate the female flowers that produced the fruit and seed that resulted in the new cultivar. ‘Matua’ and ‘Tomuri’ are two male cultivars frequently used.
Both the ‘Hayward’ cultivar and the present invention are deciduous vines of Actinidia deliciosa A. Chev. The Actinidia deliciosa species originated in China and parts of Asia and is known as the Chinese gooseberry. Plant material of this species was taken to New Zealand where new cultivars such as ‘Hayward’ were developed. Due to the appearance of the fruit of the Chinese gooseberry, it was given the name kiwi fruit in New Zealand after the native kiwi bird.
Many plantings of the ‘Hayward’ cultivar were established in Alabama as well as the adjoining southeastern states. These plantings were established near the coast in most cases. The vines grew vigorously but were unfruitful. In Alabama, research plantings were established in different locations that varied from the coast to the center of the state. The location that the kiwi have been most productive is in the center of the state in Chilton County where the commercial peach industry is located. The ‘Hayward’ cultivar has not been productive there.
Research has shown that the ‘Hayward’ cultivar requires at least 900 hours of chilling for sufficient vegetative budbreak and flower development and that 1150 hours chilling is required for maximum flowering. From chilling requirement research, flower abortion decreased as chilling hours received increased for all cultivars.